Peter and Kayla Racz: A Father-Daughter Journey through Education

MEET The Racz Family – Father Peter Racz ‘13
Daughter and incoming freshman Kayla Racz ‘27

PETER’S STORY

EARNED: MBA in Finance ’13
It was 2002, and Peter and Jennifer Racz had just settled down in a home on Long Island. Life was great, and his career at Verizon was going well. “Then sure enough, I was laid off,” Racz said. “So, I decided to go back to Queens College in New York in 2003 to finish my undergraduate degree, and as soon as I graduated, Verizon called me back to work.”

But then, the timing was off because Racz had sold his house in Long Island and moved to Delaware to live near his in-laws. He knew it would be a challenge, but he accepted the position and simply traveled back and forth from Delaware to the Verizon office in Manhattan for a year and a half before transferring to the Wilmington office.

As he settled into a new routine, he learned that Verizon offered an employee tuition program that would pay for his MBA. Excited to take advantage of the opportunity, Racz said, “It’s always good to have more tools in your toolbox in case something happens or if I want to change my career.” He’d heard that Goldey-Beacom was a good school, so he got together with work friends Eric Holland and Bill Daugherty, and the three of them enrolled together in the MBA program.

“We studied together, compared notes during work breaks, and we all graduated in 2013 with our MBAs,” said Racz beaming with the satisfaction of a major life achievement. The three of them still work for Verizon today with Racz and Holland on construction sites.

“I work as a fiber slicer,” Racz said. “I’m working with fiber optics the diameter of a piece of hair. I fuse them together and make sure everything is running in the right direction. It’s intense.”

Fast forward a few years, and in 2022 it was time for his daughter Kayla to begin looking at colleges.

Peter Racz remarked about the difference between touring a large, university vs. GBC saying, “Goldey-Beacom has a lot of opportunities for internships as well as developing a career path. They have a lot of connections in Delaware.”

MEET Daughter and incoming freshman Kayla Racz ‘27

CURRENT MAJOR: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration ‘27

Born in Middletown, Delaware, daughter Kayla Racz remarked, “My dad has always talked about GoldeyBeacom and how much he liked his professors.” She says it was an easy decision to choose GBC. And with rolling admissions, it didn’t take long to learn that she had been accepted.

She booked a tour and from the moment she stepped on campus, she felt at home. “I loved it there, and I knew that was where I wanted to go to college,” Kayla said with a warm, broad smile. She had been contemplating large universities in other states, but instantly realized the value of a small school.

She reflected on how GBC was different from other college visits where she felt alone among a sea of people. “The students just really seem to have a better connection compared to other colleges where they walked past each other and didn’t speak,” said Racz. “At GoldeyBeacom, they were sitting around and talking to each other. My tour guide had friends who came up and started talking to us. It seemed like everyone knew each other, and it was a great place to be.”

But as most parents do, Peter and Jennifer focused on affordability. They needed every bit of financial support, especially with their younger son, P.J., who will soon attend college. The entire family was elated to learn Kayla would receive a Merit Scholarship, a Bank of America Scholarship and a Legacy Scholarship to help bring down the cost of her Goldey-Beacom education.

The Racz’s attend Accepted Students Day

In April 2023, Peter and Kayla came onto campus to attend Accepted Students Day. They met staff and faculty and learned more about what GBC had to offer. They visited displays representing every department of the College including student affairs, the business office and career services.

With so many opportunities to get involved, Goldey-Beacom presented all of the options. Racz will soon begin exploring her career plans for a business degree. She said, “I took a business class in middle school and one in high school, and I loved it.” Like many students, she doesn’t have a defined plan following college graduation, but as she says, “I’m hoping I figure it out during college.”

At the end of the day, Kayla said, “I loved all the professors and everyone who talked to me. All the staff members were knowledgeable and really nice. I definitely made the right decision.”
Peter Racz remarked about the difference between touring a large university vs. GBC. “Goldey-Beacom has a lot of opportunities for internships as well as developing a career path. They have a lot of connections in Delaware. The other universities barely mentioned any of that, as far as internships and building a network with other companies. And that was important for her mother and me.”

This fall, you’ll see Kayla on campus, and in October, you’ll see the entire family for homecoming. And that’s what it’s all about – the Goldey-Beacom College family.

Photo credit: Racz family